I'm sure the proper foam would make a fine boat, but wood is really hard to beat. I think you will find that it will be hard to get the same strength for a given weight in foam as you can achieve with wood. If the foam is easier to work it is probably because it is softer. Typically to get one thing you must trade off something else, so deciding what to use must depend on what your priorities are.

> Any thoughts on using foam strips to replace wood in strip built
> kayaks?

> I am considering using rigid urethane foam strips as a subsitute
> for wood. I plan to build a 2 foot kayak test section and some flat
> test panels with 1/4" x 3/4" foam strips. Wood strips would
> be used in high load areas like the shear, coaming and keel. Aircraft
> Spruce has Last-A-Foam urethane/polyester foam with a desity of 6
> pounds per cubic foot. This stuff is less than $3.25 per square foot
> in 3/4" thickness. This foam in densities of up to 18 pounds
> per cubic foot is available.

> I am not sure what weight and number of layers of fiberglass
> will be used. I have not done the calculations for what this sandwich
> needs to be. Point loading (like hitting rocks) seems like the worst
> case problem.

> Foams strips would not be as pretty as wood but could be quicker
> to build and lighter.

> The deck could be all or partially wood for visual effects.

>